Texas Rose Festival Parade Celebrates 86 Years of Splendor

TYLER — Colorful floats, precision marching bands and glittering dresses made the 86th annual Texas Rose Festival Parade a feast for the eyes and ears. According to our news partner KETK, the “star” of the parade was the Rose Queen herself, Hanna Claire Waits. The festival had the theme “Portraits of Inspiration.” Hanna Claire Waits was crowned Queen of the 2019 Texas Rose Festival in a coronation ceremony Friday evening. The official coronation was held at the R. Don Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler. The event served to introduce Queen Hanna and her to the public as part of the 2019 Texas Rose Festival.

The Queen and her court were dressed by the festival’s designer of 37 years, Winn Morton. Morton, who is retiring this year, designs the pieces from head to toe and relies on costuming teams in Dallas and San Antonio to bring those designs to life.

The Texas Rose Festival celebrates roses and Tyler’s thriving industry of growing the blooms. This year, the Tyler Rose Garden was officially recognized as a national treasure. The Rose Festival began in 1933 to focus attention on the importance of the industry to Tyler’s economy and culture. It draws thousands of tourists to the city and provides an important boost to the local economy. First organized as the Tyler Rose Festival, it was renamed the Texas Rose Festival during the state’s centennial celebration in 1936. It is overseen by the Texas Rose Festival Association.